I have read several places there is a book, a directory and or price guide to Stanley Planes, and tools.  I see a bunch of different ones over at the giant book place.   Anyone have one of these, I know they're about the size of a city phone book, and very pricey.  If you have one you are happy with, would you post it here?   Not often but sometimes I am confronted with a choice of Stanley planes.   Yesterday a Stanley 40, with Stanley Sweetheart blade sorta jumped off the shelf and said take me home, must of been the discount price sticker. 

I do not have any "directories", but I do have access to some documentation digitally:

1898 - I have catalog digitally
1914 is available at Rose tools http://www.roseantiquetools.com/id16.html
1934 - I have catalog digitally
1953 - I have catalog digitally
1958 - I have catalog digitally
1967 repair catalog at Rose tools http://www.roseantiquetools.com/id16.html

You probably mean John Walter's 'Antique and collectible Stanley Tools Guide to Identity and Value'?

It's -the- book for Stanley tool buffs.

Do you need specific info?

...Rob

Quote from: Brophy on November 25, 2012, 11:46:14 AM
You probably mean John Walter's 'Antique and collectible Stanley Tools Guide to Identity and Value'?

It's -the- book for Stanley tool buffs.

Do you need specific info?

...Rob

  And how about a low interest loan while you are looking?
John's books are dear (that means $$$$$$$$$) these days
and going noplace but up.
   There won't be a new printing either unless some miracle of the printers art is newly discovered. All the records and photos were destroyed in a flood. Actually 2 floods on 2 consecutive years.
  yours Scott

Quote from: scottg on November 25, 2012, 12:17:21 PM
  And how about a low interest loan while you are looking?
John's books are dear (that means $$$$$$$$$) these days
and going noplace but up.

Yeah...I wish I bought a few copies when Lee Valley had them for $69.99. It seemed like a fortune at the time but the return would be better than my RRSP's

I -also- wish I'd taken better care of the hardcover copy I bought....it's looking a little rough these days.

...Rob

Quote from: john k on November 25, 2012, 11:20:22 AM
Yesterday a Stanley 40, with Stanley Sweetheart blade sorta jumped off the shelf and said take me home, must of been the discount price sticker.

That's a sweet plane.  I got a 40 1/2 years ago, and thought it would be a nice curiosity or something.  Soon enough, there was a job I needed it for, right now.  That's happened several times since I acquired it.  Wouldn't part with it now, and generally, I couldn't afford one now.  Good Job!

If anybody's interested, I just posted one of John Walter's books in the For Sale section.

Mike